Meet the Volunteers in Jamaica and Peru

Project HOPE volunteers are beginning their 23rd mission in the past six years with the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense, this time participating in Continuing Promise 2011. The first rotation of nine HOPE volunteers will provide health education and humanitarian assistance onboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship and ashore in Jamaica and Peru. Four more rotations of HOPE volunteers will join the five-month mission visiting nine countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Kathryn Allen, a Writer is participating in her second mission as a HOPE volunteer, first serving onboard the USNS Mercy in Indonesia last year. Kathryn works for an agency in Troy, New York that serves people living in poverty, victims of domestic violence, children with developmental delays and adults with mental illness. While aboard the USNS Comfort, Kathryn is volunteering as the Public Affairs Officer.

Betty Fish-Ferguson, a Nurse from Oregon City, Oregon is a second-time Project HOPE volunteer, first serving in Haiti on the USNS Comfort, immediately following the 2010 earthquake. She is volunteering in as a Post-Operative Care Unit Nurse during the first rotation of Continuing Promise 2011.

Barry Finette, M.D, a Pediatrician from Charlotte, Vermont is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. Dr. Finette is serving as a Pediatrician aboard the USNS Comfort and ashore in Jamaica and Peru.

Roxana Hutchcroft, a Pediatric Nurse from Springdale, Arizona is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. She is serving as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse throughout the five month, nine country, Continuing Promise 2011 mission.

Tracey Kunkel, an operating room nurse from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is also retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years. She is participating in her third mission as a Project HOPE volunteer, first serving as HOPE’s Operations Officer (OPS) during Continuing Promise 2009, and last year serving as HOPE’s Medical Director (HMD) aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore in Costa Rica and Guatemala during Continuing Promise 2010. Tracey is serving dual role as OPS and HMD during three rotations of Continuing Promise 2011.

Daniel LoFaro, a first-time Project HOPE volunteer from Washington, D.C., is an Emergency Management specialist with FEMA. He is serving as HOPE’s Operation Officer during rotation one of Continuing Promise 2011 aboard the USNS Comfort and ashore in Jamaica and Peru.

Gretchen Mengel, a Nurse from Baltimore, Maryland is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. She is volunteering in as a Post-Operative and Intensive Care Unit Nurse during the first rotation of Continuing Promise 2011.

Gary Parrish, M.D., an Emergency Room Physician from Roanoke, Virginia is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. Dr. Parrish will be using his emergency room skills throughout most of the Continuing Promise 2011 five-month mission.

Bruce Piccone, M.D., a Physician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. Dr. Piccone is serving as an Internal Medicine Physician aboard the USNS Comfort and ashore in Jamaica and Peru.